Furniture Wood Waste Management Towards the Circular Economy

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Abstract

Wood waste (WW) from the furniture industry is a material that deserves special attention, given that it is still relatively unexplored in manufacturing industries. Therefore, this study aims to elaborate guidelines for decision-making in the furniture industry’s wood waste, focusing on the north–central region of the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil, as a spatial outline of the research. The SWOT matrix is the main methodology for this stage of analysis, based on the previous study of Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs), the calculation of the Material Circularity Index (MCI), and the field research conducted in the industries. The obtained results show promising recycling scenarios over energy recovery, and the studied guidelines indicate this path. The three basic guidelines include discouraging the disposal of wood waste potentially usable as raw material into landfills; encouraging the use of wood waste based on the concept of industrial symbiosis; and promoting the creation of a market for the use of WW as a raw material in new products. Finally, with the proposed guidelines, it will be possible to contribute to the decision-making process on the management of wood waste from the furniture industry, reduce the amount of wood waste discarded in landfills, and increase the recycling rate. All of this being covered by a market created and maintained for the adequate management of wood waste. Furthermore, despite focusing on a Brazilian region for analysis, this paper intends to contribute to future research in the field, to be conducted in other locations.

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